By Kyle Chan, Staff Writer

As you know, February is the month to express love and gratitude to those around us. As of which, let’s appreciate the people who are always available to help, the wellness counseling team! No matter the situation, they will always lend a helping hand.

Mental health awareness has risen to become a huge topic regarding the well-being of one’s health. Over the last couple years, there has been an increase in those who have reported feeling depressed, stressed, anxious, etc., which correlates from the pandemic. It is important to search for help and comfort, if it has a detrimental effect on your daily life. If you are uneasy or angst at school, you can always visit the wellness counseling room in the language hall. 

There are lots of different ways people cope with mental health, since there are many different kinds of mental health disorders. “We have therapeutic models, such as fidgeting toys,” says Ms. Laura Hahn. “We can also provide a variety of coping strategies including listening and educating about the topic of mental health and hygiene. We also go through a step by step problem solving method.” 

They also have a bunch of services throughout the day. Ms. Hahn states that, “They can drop in at any time, meaning they don’t need an appointment. They can schedule an appointment, which is a private one on one conversation. If one is struggling and needs more attention, they can receive twelve appointments. Some students have mental health counseling on their schedule, and they can also refer or connect students to mental health programs outside of school.” You can book an appointment by going to the Mills website and searching up wellness counseling. Then you would click the bit.ly/vikingstherapy, and fill out a form to find a date and what you want to talk about.

A little backstory about Ms. Hahn said that she wanted to be a mental health therapist at school because it was something that didn’t exist when she was at school. “There weren’t any safe adults or areas where those who struggled could seek guidance for their problems. I wanted to provide support and advice to those battling against mental health.” If you’re interested or curious about being a professional licensed mental health counselor, first you have to get a high school diploma. Then you would need to achieve a bachelor’s degree in college. But the most important thing, says Ms. Hahn, is that, “you need a masters degree in a counseling field, experience working in a practicum, and that you have to pass a licenses exam”.

It is normal to feel anxiety or stress, but it is unhealthy to let it build up and consume your daily life. Instead, you should seek guidance and talk to someone you deeply trust. If you are feeling down or troubled in any way, you can always visit the wellness counselor room